Memorial for Spitfire pilot unveiled 80 years after deadly crash

A memorial has been unveiled for a Spitfire pilot on the 80th anniversary of his death in a crash landing near Stirling.

Henri Jeanne Paul Delabastita, a Belgian serving with the RAF Voluntary Reserve, died in the accident near North Third reservoir on January 29 1943.

The 37-year-old was returning to RAF Balado Bridge after a training exercise when his oxygen supply is thought to have iced up at high altitude.

Pilot Officer Delabastita was buried locally but his aircraft was only recovered from a bog in 2000.

On Sunday, members of his family joined Stirling’s provost Douglas Dodds, representatives of the RAF and others for the unveiling of a plaque at the crash site.

While flying with the Belgian Air Force earlier in the Second World War, Pilot Officer Delabastita was shot down and captured.

He is thought to have escaped from the Colditz prisoner of war camp in Germany before making his way to Britain.

Mr Dodds said: “On behalf of the people of Stirling, it’s a privilege to unveil a fitting and proper memorial to the life of an allied hero of the Second World War.

“Henri Delabastita served with distinction in his home country before playing a valuable role in Britain’s war efforts after having been detained at Colditz.

“We are honoured that some of Henri’s family could attend this special commemorative event, and this plaque ensures his memory and sacrifice will never be forgotten.

“I also pay tribute to the dedicated work of the volunteers who recovered the remnants of the Spitfire that crashed here in Stirling, as well as those who put in the time and effort to create this beautiful memorial so that we may remember this remarkable man and this chapter in Stirling’s history.”

Dirk Delabastita, the grandnephew of the late pilot, thanked those who organised the memorial.

He said: “It is a strange and poignant experience for us to be part of this memorial event and to witness the unveiling of the plaque personally dedicated to our great-uncle.

“In our lives, our great-uncle Henri has always been, very paradoxically, both a presence and an absence – a presence because both our dad and our grandad so often spoke with obvious pride, and invariably repeating the same anecdotes, about their heroic uncle and brother.

“This gave Henri a somewhat legendary status within our small family.

“Being here helps us as a family to imagine our great-uncle as the real person that he was – someone who walked the earth – albeit as little as possible because he was most in his element flying high above it.”